1. Field
One embodiment of the invention relates to an information processing system and an electronic apparatus, which receive and transmit meta-data relating to contents through a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Digital Transmission Content Protection over Internet Protocol (DTCP-IP) is known as one of the standards to protect copyrights of contents transferred between devices on a network. The DTCP-IP is a standard which can apply a content protecting function provided in a digital interface, such as IEEE 1394, to an IP packet on an IP network. The DTCP-IP uses copy control information (CCI), which indicates whether a copy is allowed or not. Copy control information is utilized in various techniques. For example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2002-319227 discloses a technique for improving the operability on the side of the user by rewriting copy control information.
The Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) has been widely noticed as a communication standard, which easily connect devices to each other, for example, in home. The DLNA employs a communication system complying to the Universal Plug and Play specification for Audio Video streaming devices (UPnP-AV). In this system, when a UPnP-AV compliant device is connected to a network, the system automatically recognizes what device is connected. When a user requests connection of the device to another device (target device), information representing a list (menu) of contents (e.g., video and music) stored in the target device is transmitted to the user's device in the form of an XML file. The XML file contains information (URL) representing where the data (such as video) are present. The URL is referred to when contents are played back.
Although the DLNA allows devices to be easily connected to each other, there is no agreement on copyright protection of contents. If high-definition contents, such as digital broadcast programs, are handled in a home network, arrangement to protect contents from unauthorized copying is required. On the part of users, there is a demand for easily obtaining information, from the menu, whether the desired content can be moved, copied or played back.
Although there are techniques of using copy control information as disclosed in the aforementioned publication, it is difficult to satisfy the requirements on the part of users, while maintaining copyright protection on the part of content holders with respect to the contents transferred in compliance with the specification such as the DLNA.